Tips on changing head gasket on 4.2L 97?
#1
01-16-2010, 09:02 AM
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Tips on changing head gasket on 4.2L 97?
Got a F150 97 4.2L . Love the truck but noticed over the past month it started driving rough. Pulled the plugs the other day and bam, coolant in cylinder #4.
Constant misfires from cylinder #4 regardless of changed plugs and from what I've read this is due a bad gasket. If i'm lucky it's just the timing cover but if I'm going to do this I want to go the full length.
So anyone change the head gaskets on the 4.2L? If so any gotchas, tips of advice? I'm pretty mechanically inclined so if I take my time and follow the book I don't think I'll have much trouble.
I noticed it's a bit of a squeeze back towards the firewall. Don't need to drop the engine or anything to do this?
THanks!
J.
Constant misfires from cylinder #4 regardless of changed plugs and from what I've read this is due a bad gasket. If i'm lucky it's just the timing cover but if I'm going to do this I want to go the full length.
So anyone change the head gaskets on the 4.2L? If so any gotchas, tips of advice? I'm pretty mechanically inclined so if I take my time and follow the book I don't think I'll have much trouble.
I noticed it's a bit of a squeeze back towards the firewall. Don't need to drop the engine or anything to do this?
THanks!
J.
#2
01-16-2010, 09:27 AM
It's not a head gasket, nor is it the valve cover gasket... it's an intake manifold gasket!
I'd suggest that you IMMEDIATLY stop driving the truck and get it towed to a shop ASAP. You don't want to spend $4000+ on a new engine do you?
The coolant leak that this engine is notorious for is from the intake manifold. This engine uses a twin intake port and the front and rear cylinders have coolant passages really close to one of the intake ports. The engine uses the plastic intake gasket with o'rings. When the gasket gives up, the coolant is sucked in with the air and hydrolocks the piston and rod combo which in turn bends the rod and when it gets short enough the counter weight of the crank starts hitting the bottom of the piston. The noise this makes at first can easily be mistaken for lifter noise. However after a short time the rod gets short enough that it is a solid knock. Under some circumstances the rod or the piston may break.
I'd suggest replacing the intake gaskets with the new improved ones from Ford only.
I'd suggest that you IMMEDIATLY stop driving the truck and get it towed to a shop ASAP. You don't want to spend $4000+ on a new engine do you?
The coolant leak that this engine is notorious for is from the intake manifold. This engine uses a twin intake port and the front and rear cylinders have coolant passages really close to one of the intake ports. The engine uses the plastic intake gasket with o'rings. When the gasket gives up, the coolant is sucked in with the air and hydrolocks the piston and rod combo which in turn bends the rod and when it gets short enough the counter weight of the crank starts hitting the bottom of the piston. The noise this makes at first can easily be mistaken for lifter noise. However after a short time the rod gets short enough that it is a solid knock. Under some circumstances the rod or the piston may break.
I'd suggest replacing the intake gaskets with the new improved ones from Ford only.
#3
01-16-2010, 05:28 PM
#4
01-16-2010, 06:46 PM
Senior Member
It's not a head gasket, nor is it the valve cover gasket... it's an intake manifold gasket!
I'd suggest that you IMMEDIATLY stop driving the truck and get it towed to a shop ASAP. You don't want to spend $4000+ on a new engine do you?
The coolant leak that this engine is notorious for is from the intake manifold. This engine uses a twin intake port and the front and rear cylinders have coolant passages really close to one of the intake ports. The engine uses the plastic intake gasket with o'rings. When the gasket gives up, the coolant is sucked in with the air and hydrolocks the piston and rod combo which in turn bends the rod and when it gets short enough the counter weight of the crank starts hitting the bottom of the piston. The noise this makes at first can easily be mistaken for lifter noise. However after a short time the rod gets short enough that it is a solid knock. Under some circumstances the rod or the piston may break.
I'd suggest replacing the intake gaskets with the new improved ones from Ford only.
I'd suggest that you IMMEDIATLY stop driving the truck and get it towed to a shop ASAP. You don't want to spend $4000+ on a new engine do you?
The coolant leak that this engine is notorious for is from the intake manifold. This engine uses a twin intake port and the front and rear cylinders have coolant passages really close to one of the intake ports. The engine uses the plastic intake gasket with o'rings. When the gasket gives up, the coolant is sucked in with the air and hydrolocks the piston and rod combo which in turn bends the rod and when it gets short enough the counter weight of the crank starts hitting the bottom of the piston. The noise this makes at first can easily be mistaken for lifter noise. However after a short time the rod gets short enough that it is a solid knock. Under some circumstances the rod or the piston may break.
I'd suggest replacing the intake gaskets with the new improved ones from Ford only.
#5
01-17-2010, 09:50 AM
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Buddy and I plan on doing this in a couple of weeks until it then it's parked. Question: What brand gasket kit has the group used and has anyone done this themselves? If so what was your experience, good/bad.. any gotchas that I should be careful about.
#6
01-17-2010, 01:47 PM
Senior Member
I helped a friend replace his about 2 years ago.Use the Ford updated gaskets.Its pretty much straight forward,no tricks.Ask the parts guy at Ford to give you the TSB sheet on the procedure and follow it to the letter!
BTW,if you are parking the truck until you do this job,DO NOT start the engine unless you pull the plugs and check for coolant in any of the cylinders!
BTW,if you are parking the truck until you do this job,DO NOT start the engine unless you pull the plugs and check for coolant in any of the cylinders!
#7
01-17-2010, 09:41 PM
It's not a head gasket, nor is it the valve cover gasket... it's an intake manifold gasket!
I'd suggest that you IMMEDIATLY stop driving the truck and get it towed to a shop ASAP. You don't want to spend $4000+ on a new engine do you?
The coolant leak that this engine is notorious for is from the intake manifold. This engine uses a twin intake port and the front and rear cylinders have coolant passages really close to one of the intake ports. The engine uses the plastic intake gasket with o'rings. When the gasket gives up, the coolant is sucked in with the air and hydrolocks the piston and rod combo which in turn bends the rod and when it gets short enough the counter weight of the crank starts hitting the bottom of the piston. The noise this makes at first can easily be mistaken for lifter noise. However after a short time the rod gets short enough that it is a solid knock. Under some circumstances the rod or the piston may break.
I'd suggest replacing the intake gaskets with the new improved ones from Ford only.
I'd suggest that you IMMEDIATLY stop driving the truck and get it towed to a shop ASAP. You don't want to spend $4000+ on a new engine do you?
The coolant leak that this engine is notorious for is from the intake manifold. This engine uses a twin intake port and the front and rear cylinders have coolant passages really close to one of the intake ports. The engine uses the plastic intake gasket with o'rings. When the gasket gives up, the coolant is sucked in with the air and hydrolocks the piston and rod combo which in turn bends the rod and when it gets short enough the counter weight of the crank starts hitting the bottom of the piston. The noise this makes at first can easily be mistaken for lifter noise. However after a short time the rod gets short enough that it is a solid knock. Under some circumstances the rod or the piston may break.
I'd suggest replacing the intake gaskets with the new improved ones from Ford only.
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#8
01-20-2010, 04:26 PM
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Intake Gaskit
I was reading the forum and was reading the part were the collent leaking into the cyl can be mistaken for lifter tick. There have been times that i hear what i say is a lifter tick and my 03 uses a little coolent. I will fill it to the cold fill line and it will go down but only an inch and it will stop right there. Until i add more and then it dose the same thing unless i leave it alone. Anyone think my intake gaskit is on the way out?